Luigi 
Some say there’s no point in learning Japanese. To me, those who say that there’s no point in learning a new language have narrow minds. The narrowness of their thinking is what kills the motivation for them to learn Japanese which will also leads to ignorance to a country’s culture. In reality, tons of unknown opportunities are gained if you … Read more
Meeting other JETs on the JET program brings a wealth of information and advantages. If I could say this over and over, it has been my honor and pleasure meeting and befriending people on the JET program even if some of the experiences I’ve had with some JETs have been sour. However, I will talk about three main factors that … Read more
If you really want to enjoy your time in Japan, learning how to communicate in Japanese (or any other languages) enables you to open doors and help you understand culture a whole new level no travel guide book can teach you. From personal experiences, there is a huge advantage between a person who can speak Japanese and one who can’t. … Read more
The first day of school was interesting but boring. It was interesting because I got to meet more of my co-workers but boring because school hasn’t started yet due to the summer vacation. Since it was summer vacation, this meant no actual classes and that most of the students present on campus were either taking summer classes or participating in … Read more
As we stepped off the bus at the entrance of the prefectural office (the Kencho), we headed into a large conference room with our luggage somewhere on the 20th floor. There we would meet our supervisors. We had a brief welcoming ceremony conducted by the head of the Board of Education. Once the introductions began, we were then asked to … Read more
I remember my plane ride to Japan was on a Boeing 747. It was pretty packed. When we touched down at Narita, got my visa verified, I grabbed my baggage (one suitcase and a 45 liter climbing bag) and exited the baggage area. At the arrival lobby of the airport there were people from the JET program carrying flags and … Read more
This is where all the excitement begins. After getting my placement in Japan, I had to attend an orientation some weeks later to work on some paperwork to get 3 year instructor’s visa. Additionally, I also had to submit my final college transcripts a couple of weeks after graduation to prove that I’m a college graduate. Once this was handled, … Read more
I must have been quite fortunate to be located near a famous Aikido dojo during my stay in Japan. The Aikido dojo located in Iwama, Ibaraki prefecture came to me by chance. I didn’t even know about the martial art Aikido or the about historical dojo and shrine when I landed to my high school post. It seemed like fate … Read more
I figured, why keep my experience all to myself when I can share what I learned in Japan with the whole world! You will read about how I first got to Japan, the things I did in Japan, what I did, ate, and most importantly what I learned in Japan.
As a 20 year-old college student at the time, attending a public Ivy league school, one starts to wonder what to do after graduation. I will say that I am very lucky to have a variety of options present for me after graduating college but my actual journey to residing and working in Japan came when a known career adviser … Read more